HeyRuaWhat does “faoi” mean?
- 1under, below
- Faoi tells you that something is underneath something else, like a cat under a table.Also: under, below, beneath, underneath.
- 2about, concerning
- Faoi is used to say what something is about, like a book or a story about a person or place.Also: about, concerning, on the subject of.
- 3by, around (time)
- Faoi can show a time by which or around which something happens, like by Christmas.Also: by, around, at.
Pronounced “fwee” /fˠiː/.
“Faoi” with pronouns
In Irish you never say “faoi mé”. The preposition and the pronoun fuse into one word. Learn these 7 forms and you can use faoi with anyone. Click a form for its own page.
| Pronoun | Irish | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mé (me) | fúm | under me, about me | Bhí siad ag gáire fúm.They were laughing at me. |
| tú (you) | fút | under you, about you | Tá sé fút féin.It's up to you. |
| sé (him / it) | faoi | under him / it, about him / it | Chuala mé scéal faoi inné.I heard a story about him yesterday. |
| sí (her / it) | fúithi | under her / it, about her / it | Bhí siad ag caint fúithi.They were talking about her. |
| sinn (us) | fúinn | under us, about us | Ná bí ag magadh fúinn.Don't be making fun of us. |
| sibh (you (plural)) | fúibh | under you (plural), about you (plural) | Inis dom fúibh féin.Tell me about yourselves. |
| siad (them) | fúthu | under them, about them | Níl mórán ar eolas agam fúthu.I don't know much about them. |
“Faoi” before a noun
Faoi lenites the next word (séimhiú): the first letter takes an h, faoi bhord.
Faoi also means about: leabhar faoi Éirinn (a book about Ireland).
Everyday phrases with “faoi”
The other prepositions
Every simple preposition has its own set of pronoun forms.
“Faoi” in Irish: frequently asked questions
What does faoi mean in Irish?
faoi means under, about. With a pronoun it becomes one word: fúm (under, about me), fút (under, about you), faoi (under, about him / it).
What is the Irish for under me?
fúm. The preposition faoi and the pronoun mé fuse into one word; this is a prepositional pronoun (forainm réamhfhoclach).
Does faoi change the next word?
Faoi lenites the next word (séimhiú): the first letter takes an h, faoi bhord. Faoi also means about: leabhar faoi Éirinn (a book about Ireland).
How do I say 'a book about Ireland' in Irish?
You use 'faoi' for 'about': 'leabhar faoi Éirinn'. The same word means 'under', so context tells you which meaning is meant.
Why do I see 'faoin' instead of 'faoi an'?
'Faoi' joins with the article 'an' to make 'faoin', and the next word is usually eclipsed: 'faoin mbord' (under the table). In the plural you write 'faoi na': 'faoi na boird'.
